PAS joins DAP in snubbing RTM airtime offer

By Boo Su-Lyn

Published: 25 March 2013 7:00 PM

Rais last week announced that each party will get 10 minutes to present their pre-recorded manifestos. — File picKUALA LUMPUR, March 25 ― PAS rebuffed today the government’s offer of 10 minutes’ airtime on Radio Television Malaysia (RTM), following a similar rejection by the DAP.

“We reject outright because it is recorded not live,” PAS secretary-general Datuk Mustafa Ali told The Malaysian Insider today.

“It could be anything if it is not live,” he added, when asked if PAS was afraid of its comments being edited on RTM.

Earlier today, DAP secretary-general and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng said his party will not take up the offer as it did not want to give Barisan Nasional (BN) the justification that the ruling coalition was providing fair access to the media.

Information, Communications and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Dr Rais Yatim said last Friday that political parties would be given 10 minutes’ airtime each on RTM to present their pre-recorded manifestos in the lead up to Election 2013.

Rais had said the opportunity was provided in respect of the democratic system of the country.

Lim said today that Pakatan Rakyat (PR) wanted the right of reply, not only during the general election, but at all times in all of the mainstream media and TV stations, almost all of which are BN-controlled.

PKR strategy director Rafizi Ramli told The Malaysian Insider that his party would discuss the matter during its political bureau meeting this Wednesday.

Please note that you must sign up with disqus.com before commenting. And, please refrain from comments of a racist, sexist, personal, vulgar or derogatory nature and note that comments can be edited, rewritten for clarity or to avoid questionable issues. As comments are moderated, they may not appear immediately or even on the same day you posted them. We also reserve the right to delete off-topic comments